Because journalism is all about being out there in the world—covering stories and uncovering the truth—our program emphasizes immersive projects and internships, including student media organizations, professional student organizations, and a working newsroom lab. You’ll graduate well-prepared for an exciting career in the rapidly evolving world of journalism.

Classes and Concentrations

As a journalism major, your classes will span all areas of the field to give you a well-rounded understanding of the business as a whole—writing, photography, design, and more. But you’ll also have the chance to pick an area of specialization by earning your degree in one of four concentrations: journalism graphics, magazine media, news, or photojournalism.

Do you enjoy conceptualizing and designing products that help communicate information in a visually compelling way? Do you love working with type and color, illustrating, editing visuals, and arranging information to enhance the visual-verbal message of a product, brand, or story? If so, the journalism graphics track is for you.

Careers in Journalism Graphics

Organizations, including higher education, look to employ people who can design and present data and information in a way that visually engages audiences. Many of our graduates go on to some of the nation’s top companies, including the American Red Cross, Time, CNN, and MGM Resorts International.

Magazine journalism is evolving to include print, online, and mobile media—and in some cases, even television. If the idea of becoming a compelling storyteller for a variety of magazine media types sounds appealing, then a magazine media track is a great choice. You’ll take courses in feature and magazine writing, long-form writing, digital storytelling, and advanced magazine writing. Courses from other journalism tracks—video and audio production, web design, and more—will round out your education.

Total Credits Required

120

Courses

A few of the classes you will take include:

Feature and Magazine Writing

Long-form Digital Storytelling

News Editing

Multimedia Reporting

Advanced Magazine Writing

For a complete list of all the courses you will need to take and their descriptions, consult our Course Catalog.

The definition of “news” has changed significantly over the years, and Ball State’s news concentration has kept on the cutting edge of these changes. As a news student, you’ll earn a bachelor's degree with a dual major in journalism and telecommunications. Our program focuses on the variety of formats that news comes in today—print, web, social media, apps, and more—and prepares you for a fulfilling career as a news journalist.

As a student, you’ll gain practical experience through our Unified Media model and a wide variety of exciting student-run media opportunities. Your hands-on learning might take you across campus or across the world—our students have reported on the Olympics in London, Sochi, and Rio, and others have covered stories traveling across Asia.

Total Credits Required

120

Courses

A few of the classes you will take include:

Journalistic Storytelling

Multimedia Reporting

Journalism Law & Ethics

News Editing

News & Feature Writing

News Videography

For a complete list of all the courses you will need to take and their descriptions, consult our Course Catalog.

Photojournalists are visual storytellers. They capture intense, dramatic, heartwarming and heartbreaking moments that could otherwise be forgotten—the emotion of a father walking his daughter down the aisle, the scene of a tragic house fire, the despair of losing, the elation of winning, or the beauty of a sunset.

If you want to change the world with a camera—or if you simply want to explore a career that allows you to express your visual creativity in exciting ways—Ball State’s photojournalism program is for you.

Total Credits Required

120

Courses

A few of the classes you will take include:

Introduction to Photojournalism

Photo Lighting

Photo Editing

Assignment Photojournalism

Photo Illustration

For a complete list of all the courses you will need to take and their descriptions, consult our Course Catalog.

Careers in Photojournalism

Photojournalism prepares you for a career in a variety of fields including news photography, sports photography, commercial photography, and wedding photography. Our graduates have participated in three Pulitzer Prize-winning projects and have gone on to cover the Super Bowl, the Final Four, the World Series, and the Olympics.

You won’t sit in a classroom all day at Ball State. You’ll get to work in some of the nation’s best facilities as a reporter, photographer, designer, or editor in our Unified Media Lab, home to national award-winning publications and student journalists alike. Learn more.

Paying for Your Education

On top of the dozens of scholarships the university offers its students, our department gives awards every year to its own students to recognize them for their achievements. Learn more.

Ready to Apply?

Ready to take your first step to a successful career in journalism? Visit our campus to see our facilities and meet our professors and current students. Schedule your visit today or begin the application process by clicking below.